Caley Thistle are braced for exits identifying potential signing targets
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JOHN Robertson says Inverness Caledonian Thistle have identified signing targets should they lose players before the end of the transfer window.
Jamie McCart is reported to have accepted a pre-contract offer to move to St Johnstone at the end of the season.
But it is believed Saints’ manager Tommy Wright is keen to make a bid to bring the defender to Perth before next Friday.
Saints, along with Dundee, are also reported to be interested in signing full back Shaun Rooney.
Robertson says if he loses players, he has targets in mind to bring into the club.
“I am delighted with what I’ve got and will continue to look at other possibilities in case we lose players,” he said.
“I hope we don’t, but we are bracing ourselves just in case. We have one or two options on the back burner just in case.
“But January is difficult to get good players unless you pay for them as teams don’t want to let good players go.”
Robertson says St Johnstone have not officially told them a deal with McCart is done.
Although at yesterday’s press conference, he believed pre-contract terms had been agreed.
But similar to Ross County signing defender Coll Donaldson, Robertson says if St Johnstone want McCart by next Friday, they will need to offer the right price.
“If it is true, it will be St Johnstone’s move if they want to take him now,” he said.
“Its the same situation as Coll Donaldson, they will have to pay money.”
Robertson says McCart and Rooney will be available for selection for tomorrow’s match at Ayr United.
He said: “I have no problem with their mentality should they still be here.
“But if they go, the club will make money.
“The club has been criticised in the past for letting players run out their contracts and get no money.
“Now we are getting criticised for players being sold.
“You can’t win and we’ll deal with it as it is.”
Defender Lewis Toshney could be set to make his first appearance for Inverness since signing from Falkirk this month.
Caley Thistle, who are in second place in the Championship, could move seven points clear of third place with victory at Ayr and if other results go their way.
The club has an excellent record at Somerset Park winning all three matches at the ground last season and a 2–0 win in October.
But after knocking Ross County out of the Scottish Cup fourth round last week, Robertson isn’t taking Ayr for granted.
“Ayr had a good January by winning both of their games,” he said.
“They beat Dunfermline away 1–0 and then they beat Ross County 1–0 which is a terrific result for them.
“They’re a team packed with danger.
“So what we’ve got to do is continue our current good form against them.
“We will go down there and battle away to try and get the result.”
